The Energy News Digest for May 14, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits The Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Rogue Communication Devices Found in Chinese Solar Power Inverters (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ghost-machine-rogue-communication-devices-050547906.html

U.S. Electricity Prices Continue Steady Increase (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65284

New U.S. Energy Secretary Gives His Take on Removing Four Eastern WA Dams (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-energy-secretary-gives-removing-192809256.html

Millions of Americans at Risk of Summer Power Shortfall, Regulator Says (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-14/about-89-million-americans-at-risk-of-summer-power-shortfall-regulator-says

British Columbia's Low Snowpack & Early Melt Signal Drought, Raising Concerns for Hydropower (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/low-snowpack-raises-electricity-concerns-1.7533194

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      U.S. Electricity Prices Continue Steady Increase

2.      New U.S. Energy Secretary Gives His Take on Removing Four Eastern WA Dams

3.      Millions of Americans at Risk of Summer Power Shortfall, Regulator Says

4.      California’s Power Grid Looks Steady Heading into Summer, But Risks Remain

5.      A Looming Wildfire Season Means Electric Utilities Are Preparing for Possible Outages

6.      Spokane County to Consider Avista Plan to Bury Power Lines to Reduce Wildfire Risks in Three Spokane County Urban Wildlands

7.      Oregon: Crook County Supports More Power, But No Proposed Power Line Routes

8.      The Bonneville Power Administration Shares Grand Coulee Dam Settlement Formula

9.      American Public Power Association Sends Letter in Support of Help Hoover Dam Act

10.   Property Rights Take Center Stage as Montana Grapples with Wind Development

11.   Washington’s Draft Report on Pumped Storage Hydropower Finds Ways to Do Less Harm

12.   Idaho: Trash to Gas – New Ada County Facility Filters Harmful Landfill Gases into Useful Methane

13.   Energy Efficiency Advocates Decry Trump Plan to Cut Appliance Regulations

14.   Classrooms Across the U.S. Are Heating Up. School Districts Need Cooling Beyond Air Conditioning

15.   Mystery of 'Exploding Birds' Deepens in California City as Necropsies Suggest Foul Play

16.   EPA Announces Rollback for Some Biden-Era Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water

17.   British Columbia's Low Snowpack & Early Melt Signal Drought, Raising Concerns for Hydropower

18.   Montana Snowpack Near Normal for Most Regions

19.   Yakima Basin Water Supply Forecast Shows Irrigation Shortfall

20.   Trump Proposal to End Digital Equity Act Is ‘Serious Setback,’ Says Washington State Broadband Chief

21.   2024 Remote Work Statistics

22.   Rogue Communication Devices Found in Chinese Solar Power Inverters

23.   Washington, Other States Sue to Regain Electric-Vehicle Funding as Sales Sag

24.   Underwater Volcano Off Oregon Coast Is Getting Ready to Erupt

25.   House Republicans Target Clean Energy Tax Credits & Pollution Rules in Budget Proposal

26.   Seattle Dem Blocked Tax Break to Help Richland Woo $3.5 Billion in Nuclear Manufacturing

27.   White House Weighs Nuclear Regulatory Commission Overhaul

Word of the Day

Flambé \flom-BAY\ Adjective - Dressed or served covered with flaming liquor.

Freddy was sure that his culinary efforts would delight his Hawaiian visitors. Unfortunately, his “Spam Flambé” did nothing but elicit looks of horror from his guests as the flames of the burning brandy wafted a pungent odor throughout the dining room.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      U.S. Electricity Prices Continue Steady Increase (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65284

2.      New U.S. Energy Secretary Gives His Take on Removing Four Eastern WA Dams (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-energy-secretary-gives-removing-192809256.html

3.      Millions of Americans at Risk of Summer Power Shortfall, Regulator Says (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-14/about-89-million-americans-at-risk-of-summer-power-shortfall-regulator-says

4.      California’s Power Grid Looks Steady Heading into Summer, But Risks Remain (San Gabriel Valley Tribune, CA)

https://www.sgvtribune.com/2025/05/07/californias-power-grid-looks-steady-heading-into-summer-but-risks-remain/

5.      A Looming Wildfire Season Means Electric Utilities Are Preparing for Possible Outages (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)

https://www.ijpr.org/wildfire/2025-05-14/a-looming-wildfire-season-means-electric-utilities-are-preparing-for-possible-outages

6.      Spokane County to Consider Avista Plan to Bury Power Lines to Reduce Wildfire Risks in Three Spokane County Urban Wildlands (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/spokane-county-consider-avista-plan-035900437.html

7.      Oregon: Crook County Supports More Power, But No Proposed Power Line Routes (Central Oregonian, Prineville, OR)

https://www.centraloregonian.com/news/crook-county-supports-more-power-but-no-proposed-power-line-routes/article_c2596f76-5d75-48de-8752-7001e94783ba.html

8.      The Bonneville Power Administration Shares Grand Coulee Dam Settlement Formula (Tribal Tribune, Nespelem, WA)

https://www.tribaltribune.com/news/article_ccb6ca74-76b8-4d33-af0c-4064d71f2963.html

9.      American Public Power Association Sends Letter in Support of Help Hoover Dam Act (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/appa-sends-letter-support-help-hoover-dam-act

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

10.   Property Rights Take Center Stage as Montana Grapples with Wind Development (Inside Climate News)

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14052025/montana-wind-development-property-rights/

11.   Washington’s Draft Report on Pumped Storage Hydropower Finds Ways to Do Less Harm (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2025/05/12/washingtons-draft-report-on-pumped-storage-hydropower-finds-ways-to-do-less-harm/

12.   Idaho: Trash to Gas – New Ada County Facility Filters Harmful Landfill Gases into Useful Methane (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)

https://www.kivitv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/ada-county/trash-to-gas-new-ada-county-facility-filters-harmful-landfill-gases-into-useful-methane

Conservation & Efficiency

13.   Energy Efficiency Advocates Decry Trump Plan to Cut Appliance Regulations (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/13/nx-s1-5396885/energy-efficiency-advocates-decry-trump-plan-to-cut-appliance-regulations

14.   Classrooms Across the U.S. Are Heating Up. School Districts Need Cooling Beyond Air Conditioning (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-heat-schools-cooling-solutions-ac3d7684c1a9bfd29e1219d05e304fc0

Fish & Wildlife

15.   Mystery of 'Exploding Birds' Deepens in California City as Necropsies Suggest Foul Play (ABC News)

https://abcnews.go.com/US/exploding-birds-freak-residents-california-city/story

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16.   EPA Announces Rollback for Some Biden-Era Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/pfas-forever-chemicals-epa-zeldin-trump-4eaf8c7bdac7c45a295a2305de906012

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17.   British Columbia's Low Snowpack & Early Melt Signal Drought, Raising Concerns for Hydropower (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/low-snowpack-raises-electricity-concerns-1.7533194

18.   Montana Snowpack Near Normal for Most Regions (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/montana-snowpack-near-normal-most-225159514.html

19.   Yakima Basin Water Supply Forecast Shows Irrigation Shortfall (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/yakima-basin-water-supply-forecast-shows-irrigation-shortfall/article_b60ad23b-b087-408a-b776-5e54580a3239.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

20.   Trump Proposal to End Digital Equity Act Is ‘Serious Setback,’ Says Washington State Broadband Chief (State Scoop)

https://statescoop.com/trump-digital-equity-act-cancellation-2025/

21.   2024 Remote Work Statistics (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/05/09/2024-remote-work-statistics/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

22.   Rogue Communication Devices Found in Chinese Solar Power Inverters (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ghost-machine-rogue-communication-devices-050547906.html

I Sing the Car Electric

23.   Washington, Other States Sue to Regain Electric-Vehicle Funding as Sales Sag (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-other-states-sue-to-regain-electric-vehicle-funding-as-sales-slump

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

24.   Underwater Volcano Off Oregon Coast Is Getting Ready to Erupt (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/underwater-volcano-off-oregon-coast-183936812.html

Politics, Governance, and Management

25.   House Republicans Target Clean Energy Tax Credits & Pollution Rules in Budget Proposal (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/house-budget-reconciliation-clean-energy-pollution-trump-f8638d3c44e95976b3bf756bc483a8f6

26.   Seattle Dem Blocked Tax Break to Help Richland Woo $3.5 Billion in Nuclear Manufacturing (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/may/13/seattle-dem-blocked-tax-break-to-help-richland-woo/

27.   White House Weighs Nuclear Regulatory Commission Overhaul (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/white-house-weighs-nrc-overhaul/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Major League Baseball Reinstates Pete Rose & Shoeless Joe Jackson, Making Them Hall of Fame Eligible

https://apnews.com/article/pete-rose-shoeless-joe-jackson-reinstated-f95afff53006426f3ea44e34d5f56a24

'I Did Not Expect to Find a Shipwreck!' Says Boy Whose Treasure Is Being Excavated

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/i-did-not-expect-to-find-a-shipwreck-says-boy-whose-treasure-is-being-excavated-1.7531183

Mark Twain’s Legacy Is Not His Tall Tales. It’s His Larger-Than-Life Persona.

https://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2025/0509/mark-twain-biography-ron-chernow

Bombshell Discovery at 'Site of Noah's Ark' Which Researchers Say Could Prove Biblical Story True

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14704603/Bombshell-discovery-site-Noahs-Ark-researchers-say-prove-Biblical-story-true.html

Song of the Day

The Irish Rivers – The Unicorn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6NCVQGrDGY

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.

The Energy News Digest for May 12, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Smoke from Climate-Fueled Wildfires Contributed to Thousands of U.S. Deaths Over 15 Years (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

https://katu.com/news/local/smoke-from-climate-fueled-wildfires-contributed-to-thousands-of-us-deaths-over-15-years

The Bonneville Power Administration Opts to Join Controversial Energy Market Despite Criticism That It Will Raise Rates (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2025/05/bpa-opts-to-join-controversial-energy-market-despite-criticism-that-it-will-raise-rates.html

WA State: Cowlitz PUD Buys Out Partner in Gorge Wind Project It Uses to Meet Clean Energy Laws (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/may/09/cowlitz-pud-buys-out-partner-in-gorge-wind-project-it-uses-to-meet-clean-energy-laws/

U.S. Will Stop Tracking the Costs of Extreme Weather Fueled by Climate Change (Associated Press)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-retires-database-tracking-billions-of-dollars-of-climate-change-fueled-weather-damage/ar-AA1EqaKm

Adult Salmon Makes Historic Swim into Upper Columbia River System (Salmon Arm Observer, BC)

https://www.saobserver.net/news/adult-salmon-makes-historic-swim-into-upper-columbia-river-system-7999380

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      The Bonneville Power Administration Opts to Join Controversial Energy Market Despite Criticism That It Will Raise Rates

2.      Bonneville Power Administration Issues Day-Ahead Market Policy to Pursue Participation in SPP’s Markets+

3.      Portland City Council Rejects PGE Plan to Run New Transmission Lines in Forest Park

4.      California: Edison Electric Tower at Center of Eaton Fire Investigation Is Dismantled & Removed for Testing

5.      Montana PSC President Asks Governor to Veto Utility Fire Mitigation Bill

6.      BPA Safe from Additional Staffing Cuts, DOE’s Wright Tells House Committee

7.      U.S. DOE Secretary Expresses Support for the Lower Snake River Dams

8.      WA State: Lewis County PUD Appoints Former Manager Dave Muller to Commission Seat

9.      Nevada: NV Energy Projects Will Connect All Parts of Silver State

10.   Bonneville Power Administration Energizes Midway-to-Ashe High-Voltage Transmission Line in Southeast Washington

11.   Southwest Power Pool Proposes One-Time Framework to Speed Generation Interconnection

12.   Western Transmission Consortium Announces Official Launch

13.   After Spain’s Blackout, Questions About Renewable Energy Are Back

14.   Residential Electric Bills in Hawaii & Connecticut Are Twice Those in New Mexico, Utah

15.   WA State: Cowlitz PUD Buys Out Partner in Gorge Wind Project It Uses to Meet Clean Energy Laws

16.   Oregon: Solar Plant Under Construction West of Powell Butte

17.   WA State: ‘It Will Ruin the Charm of Our Island’: Islanders Push Back on Solar Grid

18.   These States Generate the Most Electricity from Solar Energy

19.   Need Help Switching Appliances from Gas to Electric? A ‘Coach’ Can Help

20.   Adult Salmon Makes Historic Swim into Upper Columbia River System

21.   Go Geoducks, Go? How a Chinese Delicacy Got Caught in the Crossfire of Trump’s Trade War

22.   Trump Administration Promises Illinois It Will Pay to Keep Carp Out of the Great Lakes

23.   Smoke from Climate-Fueled Wildfires Contributed to Thousands of U.S. Deaths Over 15 Years

24.   Wyoming Intends to Approve Microsoft Data Centers’ Emissions Permit for 128 Backup Diesel Generators

25.   Oregon: Washington County Sewer CEO Resigns Following Oregonian Investigation

26.   U.S. Will Stop Tracking the Costs of Extreme Weather Fueled by Climate Change

27.   WA State: Lewis County Hydrogen Buses Set to Fuel Up This Fall with Help from the State

28.   WA State: Natural Gas Supporters Argue Judge Is Intentionally Delaying Fight Over I-2066

29.   Trump ‘Energy Emergency’ Directive Latest Target of Lawsuit by WA AG Brown

30.   FEMA to Reduce Reimbursement Eligibility

31.   Colorado’s Rural Electric Co-Ops Are Determined to Go Green

32.   Major Storm System Could Bring Two Months’ Worth of Rain to Parts of U.S.

33.   How the Pacific Northwest’s Dream of Green Energy Fell Apart

34.   Trump’s All-Out War on Energy Efficiency

Word of the Day

Treacle \TREE-cull\ Noun – 1: a medicinal compound formerly in wide use as a remedy against poison 2a: chiefly British: molasses b: a blend of molasses, invert sugar, and corn syrup used as syrup *3: something (as a tone of voice) heavily sweet and cloying.

“Oh dear, what a lovely smock,” Abernathy Rockjaw cooed in his honeyed tones to the beautiful Violet Fenwick-Jones. What the oily shyster did not realize was that Ms. Fenwick-Jones saw right through his treacle-loaded advances. The taser in her extended hand instantly cooled his amorous advances.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      The Bonneville Power Administration Opts to Join Controversial Energy Market Despite Criticism That It Will Raise Rates (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2025/05/bpa-opts-to-join-controversial-energy-market-despite-criticism-that-it-will-raise-rates.html

2.      Bonneville Power Administration Issues Day-Ahead Market Policy to Pursue Participation in SPP’s Markets+ (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20250509-bpa-issues-day-ahead-market-policy-to-pursue-participation-in-spp-market

3.      Portland City Council Rejects PGE Plan to Run New Transmission Lines in Forest Park (Willamette Week, Portland, OR)

https://www.wweek.com/news/2025/05/07/city-council-rejects-pge-plan-to-run-new-transmission-lines-in-forest-park/

4.      California: Edison Electric Tower at Center of Eaton Fire Investigation Is Dismantled & Removed for Testing (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/edison-electric-tower-at-center-of-eaton-fire-investigation-is-dismantled-and-removed-for-testing/ar-AA1EmGAy

5.      Montana PSC President Asks Governor to Veto Utility Fire Mitigation Bill (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)

https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/montana-psc-president-asks-governor-to-veto-utility-fire-mitigation-bill

6.      BPA Safe from Additional Staffing Cuts, DOE’s Wright Tells House Committee (Northwest Public Power Association)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2025/05/bpa-safe-from-additional-staffing-cuts.html

7.      U.S. DOE Secretary Expresses Support for the Lower Snake River Dams (Northwest Public Power Association)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2025/05/us-doe-secretary-expresses-support-for.html

8.      WA State: Lewis County PUD Appoints Former Manager Dave Muller to Commission Seat (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/lewis-county-pud-appoints-former-manager-dave-muller-to-commission,380433

9.      Nevada: NV Energy Projects Will Connect All Parts of Silver State (Nevada Appeal)

https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2025/may/11/nv-energy-projects-will-connect-all-parts-of-silver-state/

10.   Bonneville Power Administration Energizes Midway-to-Ashe High-Voltage Transmission Line in Southeast Washington (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/bpa-energizes-midway-ashe-high-voltage-transmission-line-southeastern-washington

11.   Southwest Power Pool Proposes One-Time Framework to Speed Generation Interconnection (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/spp-proposes-one-time-framework-to-speed-generation-interconnection-ERAS/747630/

12.   Western Transmission Consortium Announces Official Launch (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/western-transmission-consortium-announces-official-launch

13.   After Spain’s Blackout, Questions About Renewable Energy Are Back (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/renewables-nuclear-spain-portugal-energy-power-outage-climate-change-c62fbb73e982365d10402323e4fcfcc6

14.   Residential Electric Bills in Hawaii & Connecticut Are Twice Those in New Mexico, Utah (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65244

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

15.   WA State: Cowlitz PUD Buys Out Partner in Gorge Wind Project It Uses to Meet Clean Energy Laws (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/may/09/cowlitz-pud-buys-out-partner-in-gorge-wind-project-it-uses-to-meet-clean-energy-laws/

16.   Oregon: Solar Plant Under Construction West of Powell Butte (Redmond Spokesman, OR)

https://redmondspokesman.com/2025/05/09/solar-plant-under-construction-west-of-powell-butte/

17.   WA State: ‘It Will Ruin the Charm of Our Island’: Islanders Push Back on Solar Grid (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/decatur-island-push-back-solar-grid/281-522d1ac5-1668-4dbe-b84d-faa5bda7dc14

18.   These States Generate the Most Electricity from Solar Energy (National World Publishing)

https://www.nationalworld.com/travel/these-states-generate-the-most-electricity-from-solar-energy-5124673

Conservation & Efficiency

19.   Need Help Switching Appliances from Gas to Electric? A ‘Coach’ Can Help (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/nx-s1-5354721/climate-pollution-gas-electric-appliances

Fish & Wildlife

20.   Adult Salmon Makes Historic Swim into Upper Columbia River System (Salmon Arm Observer, BC)

https://www.saobserver.net/news/adult-salmon-makes-historic-swim-into-upper-columbia-river-system-7999380

21.   Go Geoducks, Go? How a Chinese Delicacy Got Caught in the Crossfire of Trump’s Trade War (Associated Press)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/how-a-chinese-delicacy-got-caught-in-the-crossfire-of-trumps-trade-war/ar-AA1Enbsa

22.   Trump Administration Promises Illinois It Will Pay to Keep Carp Out of the Great Lakes (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-administration-promises-illinois-pay-174156940.html

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

23.   Smoke from Climate-Fueled Wildfires Contributed to Thousands of U.S. Deaths Over 15 Years (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

https://katu.com/news/local/smoke-from-climate-fueled-wildfires-contributed-to-thousands-of-us-deaths-over-15-years

24.   Wyoming Intends to Approve Microsoft Data Centers’ Emissions Permit for 128 Backup Diesel Generators (Wyofile)

https://wyofile.com/wyoming-intends-to-approve-microsoft-data-centers-emissions-permit-for-128-backup-diesel-generators/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

25.   Oregon: Washington County Sewer CEO Resigns Following Oregonian Investigation (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/watchdog/2025/05/washington-county-sewer-ceo-resigns-following-oregonian-investigation.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

26.   U.S. Will Stop Tracking the Costs of Extreme Weather Fueled by Climate Change (Associated Press)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-retires-database-tracking-billions-of-dollars-of-climate-change-fueled-weather-damage/ar-AA1EqaKm

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

27.   WA State: Lewis County Hydrogen Buses Set to Fuel Up This Fall with Help from the State (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://chronline.com/stories/lewis-county-hydrogen-buses-set-to-fuel-up-this-fall-with-help-from-the-state,380424

Politics, Governance, and Management

28.   WA State: Natural Gas Supporters Argue Judge Is Intentionally Delaying Fight Over I-2066 (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_599c4274-05ff-49b8-b0d4-8f9d7f867c64.html

29.   Trump ‘Energy Emergency’ Directive Latest Target of Lawsuit by WA AG Brown (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_fd006ddb-a13b-4068-bc04-af48c2ae79cf.html

30.   FEMA to Reduce Reimbursement Eligibility (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/natural-disasters/fema-to-reduce-reimbursement-eligibility/ar-AA1Esd6F

31.   Colorado’s Rural Electric Co-Ops Are Determined to Go Green (High Country News)

https://www.hcn.org/issues/57-5/colorados-rural-electric-co-ops-are-determined-to-go-green/

Other Things to Know About Today

32.   Major Storm System Could Bring Two Months’ Worth of Rain to Parts of U.S. (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/major-storm-system-could-bring-124907238.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

33.   How the Pacific Northwest’s Dream of Green Energy Fell Apart (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/12/oregon-washington-green-energy-bonneville/

34.   Trump’s All-Out War on Energy Efficiency (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-efficiency/trump-energy-star-liheap-building

Diversions – Bees in Your Bonnet

Beekeeper Removes Swarm of 8,000 Bees from Downtown Oregon Sidewalk

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2025/05/thank-you-bee-whisperer-oregon-beekeeper-rescues-strange-downtown-sidewalk-swarm.html

Ducks in a Row: WA State Patrol Saves Ducklings on I-5 in Tacoma

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/ducks-row-wa-state-patrol-saves-ducklings-i-5-tacoma/VUBEIBJI5BGGLPPQF5POBI4QQI/

Is The Southern Accent Fixin’ to Disappear in Parts of the U.S. South?

https://apnews.com/article/migration-southern-accent-georgia-louisiana-north-carolina-1f8bfc59f869ccccaed6a87cdaa83ee8

Two Men Convicted of Cutting Down Beloved Sycamore Gap Tree in England

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/05/09/sycamore-gap-tree-2-men-are-convicted-of-cutting-down-english-landmark/

Song of the Day

Willie Nelson – Georgia on My Mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWC0kNtteI8

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.